


Are You There?

by RyolightSan



Category: Ib (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Future, Art, Canon Compliant, Cute, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, Ib is adult now, Introspection, One Shot, POV First Person, POV Garry, Painting, Piano, References to Depression, References to past smoking, Reunions, Smoking, This is just really cute bro, This is literal fluff, Years Later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:20:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24087988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyolightSan/pseuds/RyolightSan
Summary: My eyes stare at the red rose. That red, beautiful rose.That flawless rose.It represents love, and a pure little heart. Those crimson petals are all life is, and each time one falls out, you know you're closer to the end....Even after 9 years, with a brand new life, I still feel lonely because a girl I almost left behind back in that world has left me behind.
Relationships: Garry & Ib (Ib)
Kudos: 28





	Are You There?

**Author's Note:**

> Me: *updating the damn p4wiiwad story*  
> Also me: Hey guys here's a new-
> 
> Jk, this is a transfer from Wattpad and is a one-shot XD I thought "hey, this isn't complete trash..." so here ya go! I'm like 4 chapters in with P4 WIIWAD so far (thank god) but Chapter 3 didn't save so now I'm just sad. 
> 
> Have some cute fluff and just aaaa.
> 
> EDIT: Oh my god- I- well, I didn't expect any love on this fanfic, so thank you, everyone XD I've been spammed on my email about this fanfic so I'm really happy, aaaa!

I am surprised to be at this art gallery once again. After all the trauma years ago.... I thought I would never come back.

It's weird, I tell you, but.....

  
This place does not only give me despair.

  
It gives me some tranquility.

Some peace.

After years and years, the gallery got way less popular. All that remains are a few people glancing over at the ancient portraits.

Ruffling my purple hair (too tangled to care about) I walk slowly down the aisles of the enormous gallery. I see a kid begging to steal a painting...

  
Cute. (I'm sorry for how I find theft cute)

  
I gaze at the Hanged Man portrait while chomping on some macaroons. My vision shifts over to the ladies of colors, and I'm already shivering. I still feel those could pop out and eat me any moment.

How they almost have.

* * *

  
Down and down and down.

  
Further.

Further down the paintings that I know the secret of.

  
That no one else does.

No one knows the true reality this museum holds...

"AAAAAAAHAHAJSJ...... Oh. A pebble. How did that-?" I wince and jump back in fear, only to find a rock scared the soul out of my body.

"Sorry mister!" yelps a tiny boy with a baseball cap. He swipes the marble pebble from the floor, and dashes off back to his friends. A bit embarrassed, I brush the dirt off my jacket. 

Still been wearing it for years.

  
  
Well, at least I stopped my smoking habits. Like _someone_ has advised me to.

* * *

  
  
I know what's at the left of me, but if I look at it, too much nostalgia and pain would fill me.

  
Its been 9 years since I last saw her. I'm...... I'm not sure I will ever see her again.   
  


"Ib." 

  
That is the only word that comes out of my mouth. I gave her back her handkerchief, and never did I see the girl again. 

  
I got an actual job, an decent household.... And yet I'm still lonely.

  
I even have friends.

  
And I still feel lonely.

Lonely... Because a girl I almost left behind back in that world had left me behind.

...

I can't take it.

My eyes stare at the red rose. That red beautiful rose.

The flawless rose.

It represents love, and a pure little heart. Those crimson petals are all life is, and each time one falls out, you know you're closer to the end.

....

  
  
I cannot bring myself to glare. I cannot blame Ib for forgetting me. Who knows if she really did? 

  
I'm mature enough to know not to go into assumptions so quick... despite the many times I do.

_Quick._

I guess nine years did go by so fast for her.

  
For me every day was slow as a snail. The same routine, yet every second is one single petal.

  
A little snail in the ocean, wandering aimlessly.

  
That is me. 

  
  
**I just really thought we'd be more closer than this.**

* * *

It's been an hour. I went all over the gallery in circles, and where I end up is a place I knew I would stop dead at.

  
The Abyss.

  
The Abyss Of The Deep.

  
I look down, and already I am taken in.

  
So deep.

  
So vast.

They would ask "What can be down there?"

  
And I would say "You would not want to know."

  
I would say that for them to be cautious.

  
They do not know anything, the people that disappeared nine years ago. 

But even if I couldn't see them, I knew the one who was gone was me.

  
  
  


......

My ears catch onto somber music. It's not the first time I've thought random piano music was playing... I guess I really am a somber soul.

......

  
  
It makes me feel hope for no reason. If it's not hope, it's at least something else. Something keeping me awake.

  
....  
....?

"Wait.... Is that real music?" I ask, confused. I face the direction of the graceful music, and my feet already started moving. I step, my body forcing itself to know who's playing. 

.....

Is it weird I've had many dreams like this? Many dreams where I'd push open a door and go,  
  
  


**"Ib? Ib.... Is that really you?.."**

The music abruptly stops.. What happened? That music was really good... I'd say, I almost lost all sense of time and space there.

I realized I was in another room, a back room of the gallery. I should probably head out-

Then.

I'm pulled into someone's arms.

Someone's...... arms?

  
I haven't been hugged like this in years.....

And this hug.... It's so familiar.

* * *

_Ib! Ib.... Are you alright? Sorry I came so late... It appears I appeared in the nick of time._

  
**_...._ **

  
_...?_

**_*hugs Garry*_ **

  
_...! .....heh. Ib....I'm sorry._

* * *

I hug back, knowing already what to say.

  
"Ib..... It's been quite a while...."

I pull back, and my mouth goes dry.

This isn't the girl I knew, Ib.

  
  
It's a woman before me named Ib. 

  
I lose my breath for a few seconds, astonished at her maturity.

She's up to my shoulders now, and her hair is still straight. However, it reaches only _her_ shoulders, and is curled at the ends. Her face represents the one of a woman. More pretty than cute, and how much she developed...

"Hi Garry." she says, her shoulders up, as she gives a cheery wave. Wow, I am quite... surprised. She grown more upbeat as well....

But the minute I lock eyes with her, I know she's still Ib.

  
"Hello Ib." I say, patting her back as I pull her in for another embrace. "It's.....It's been a while...." My sentence ends in a hoarse chuckle. Didn't I just say it was a while? I'm really not that composed right now.

Ib tightens her grip. "Garry....." Ah Ib, one thing I remember about her is how kind she is-

"You still sound like a girl."  
  


  
And how observant she is. 

  
"Ahaha, I don't think much really changed about me." I give a hearty laugh.

  
Ib pulls back and observes my stature for a few seconds, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Hmm.... You're cleaner. And more defined." She says, trailing off. Defined? How can she tell with the coat I have on? 

"Thank you." I reply, laughing. "You changed a lot, too, Ib."

Ib's cheeks grow a bit flushed. 

  
"Well, I was _only_ 9." She remarks. "What did you expect?" I see she's got sass up her sleeve now, too.

Something crosses my mind.

"Wait.... How old are you, Ib?" Ib's smile grows into something more... smug?

"I'm 18." 

  
Wait a minute.

  
Was not that my age nine years ago?!

"Y-you...." My words are at a loss, as I'm still used to that nine year old girl I ran around that horrifying museum with.

That girl who saved me and who I saved back.

That girl who was suffering on the inside, so much more than she should have.

....

And now what's bestowed upon me is a full fledged 18 year old woman that I knew for these 9 years as that girl.

"And you're 27...... Old." Ib jokingly says. I give a little "tsk", giving a charming smile.

"Oh Ib, you still are naive, aren't you?" I ask.

"Haha, and you still are a little wuss." She plays with the fluff on my ragged jacket, and I look away so I don't begin stammering.

"How would you know? It has been nine years." I remind her.

"I heard your little girly scream."

Oh.... was I that loud?

"Wait.... then why didn't you run to me?" I asked, trying not to let my disappointment get the best of me.

"....I wanted you to hear my piano. That's all." says Ib, looking up at me. It _was_ her on that piano.

"...Will you play again for me?" I ask, wanting to hear that flawless melody once more.

Everything about Ib was just like that, wasn't it?

  
Ib smiles softly and nods, sliding over to her piano.

She begins playing a silent, peaceful tune. I find a random chair and sit onto it, my back leaning against the metal. My eyes close as my imagination begins to take over.

* * *

"Hey Garry...." begins Ib. I give her a little "hmm" to notify her that I am listening.

"Remember that book nine years ago?..... Can I read it _now?_ " asks Ib.

O-oh. That book.... With the....

"No Ib, you're still too naive." I answer immediately.

"Wha- I'm 18! _18,_ Garry!" whines Ib.

Oh Ib. Her whining even is melodious to my ears. Maybe it'll get annoying with time~

  
I'm still so surprised that she and I are even here together, here in this room.

That we're talking as if it's been 9 days.

  
"Also, I'm washing that coat of yours. I don't want you getting sick over that." says Ib, stern.

My daydreams fly away as I sit up in a nanosecond.

  
"But- this coat has memories." I reply, hoping she reconsiders.

"Yeah, memories of lying in bed with a sneeze that'll annoy you to Hades!" replies Ib. Hades? That's an odd comparison.

"Ib, I almost ended up in Hades once before." I remark, trying not to get that doll room to cloud my mind. "Anyway...ok, fine, you can wash my coat. But remember, you owe me food."

"Macaroons?"

"Macaroons."

We both share a laugh, and continue talking as the piano continues its divine music. 

  
We finally share our contact numbers.

* * *

Hey, remember that statement?

  
That statement... "I thought we'd be more closer than this."

It became true.

I am glad it did.

"GARRY, STOP MONOLOGING!"  
"GAH."

**Author's Note:**

> If you read this, leave a kudo if you wanna and comments XD They will be greatly appreciated! Ib needs more love man... ok it was made in 2012 but I still love it. Garry and Ib friendship ftw~


End file.
